4 Tips to Get a Better Night's Sleep

It's hard to overstate the importance of a good night's sleep. We're all familiar with the consequences of staying up too late and/or drinking a few too many adult beverages before bed. It's not just about how you feel the next morning, though. Proper sleep is crucial for proper functioning, and you need to get on a good bedtime schedule if you haven't already. Chronic lack of sleep, whether it's due to stress, insomnia, chronic pain, or anything else can have serious negative side effects that impair your ability to concentrate and think clearly. Serious, long term effects of sleep deprivation can include high blood pressure, poor immune function, weight gain, altered mood, increased risk for heart disease, and many more.

While the need for a good night's rest is clear, the act of getting it isn't always so simple, even if you have adequate time. Especially in a digital world, constant stressors and bombardments of information can easily keep you up at night. Here are just a few tips to counteract these issues and reduce your sleep problems.

1. Create a routine sleep schedule.

It can be difficult to set a sleep schedule and stick to it, especially if you have a job with inconsistent hours, but it really is the best way to get on the right track. Healthy adults need at least seven hours of sleep, so for best results, try to carve out an eight-hour block of time that you can dedicate to sleep. Surround yourself by a calming environment a little beforehand, if at all possible, to induce drowsiness. Even if you just lie there for the bulk of most nights as you get used to the schedule, you'll likely still find yourself able to wake with more energy.

2. Stick to a healthy diet.

What you eat and how you sleep are tied together more than you may think. Hopefully, you haven't been drinking soda in an attempt to cure dry mouth right before bed, but cutting out excess sugar may not be enough on its own. Fortunately, diet adjustments for sleep don't have to be complicated. Just avoiding high-fat and high-protein foods during your last meal each day can make a significant difference. If you tend to have an active appetite at night, try to slowly switch over to healthier alternatives.

3. Exercise during the day.

Many people with office jobs or with long days working at home may find it difficult to get enough physical activity in. Unfortunately, a lack of proper exercise can have plenty of bad side effects, sleep issues included. While it may be tempting to put off your workout until after you're finished at work, exercising too close to bedtime can keep your mind active and result in poor sleep. Getting proper activity in early in the day, however, can help prepare your body for bed and improve your sleep-wake cycle.

4. Try CBD and other health supplements.

The cannabis plant has been known to possess sleep inducing properties for centuries, but considering the illegality of THC in many areas, it's a better idea to go with cannabidiol (CBD). This is a cannabinoid found naturally in the hemp plant, and in the central nervous system, but unlike THC, it doesn't produce any psychoactive effects. While only one medication utilizing CBD has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Parkinson's disease, many users of CBD products swear by CBD for sleep.

CBD reacts with the body's endocannabinoid system to help maintain homeostasis and promote relaxation. Some users find that CBD oil and creams help with muscle pain and other symptoms as well, which can easily aid sleep. Thanks to the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill, industrial hemp products are legal throughout the United States, so obtaining CBD to promote sleep shouldn't be too difficult. Just remember to consult your doctor to see if it's right for you, and talk about proper dosage.